Category Archives: Blog

A lifelong lover of rice, it was a dream come true to stroll through the beautiful terraced rice paddies of Bali…

The Idea of Islam Today: Towards Non-Orientalist Genealogies
An International Symposium in Honor of Talal Asad

Inaugurating its new program in Islamic Studies, the American University of Beirut is hosting an international symposium in honor of Talal Asad entitled “The Idea of Islam Today: Towards Non-Orientalist Genealogies.”

Talal Asad is perhaps best known for his interventions in the anthropology of religion and secularism, but his theoretical reflections are not bound by disciplinary strictures. Encompassing texts and translation, law, ethics, war, history, political economy, humanitarianism, postcolonial studies, as well as contemporary politics, Asad’s work has been critical in shaping a generation of scholars from across the academy.  As it celebrates the work of this inspiring scholar, the meeting aims to think through the idea of Islam in and from the region.

 

If you’re in Rhode Island, don’t miss the launch of the fourth issue of Outpost Journal at the RISD Museum. On Thursday, September 18th from 5-9 pm, Outpost will be launching their “Providence” issue in the city where the Outpost concept was conceived. The Museum will also be celebrating the opening of their show What Nerve! Alternative Figures in American Art, 1960 to the Present. At the launch party, there will be one-night only performances and works inspired by the Hidden Gem project from the publication, “sparkle-tastic” snacks, and refreshments from Gasbarro’s Wines, Narragansett, and Yacht Club Soda. The event is free and open to all…

I’m delighted to see that this Shakespeare conference (Stephen Greenblatt included) will be taking place in Tehran. My trip to Iran several years ago to give a few lectures was one of the most educational experiences of my life–from meeting with students, professors, and diplomats to touring Iran’s legendary cities…

Though the impressive rock-cut shrines of Gunung Kawi are the main attraction at the site, I spent most of my time exploring the quiet, moss-covered inner rooms of the temple–far away from the crowds…

At today’s Opening Ceremony at the American University of Beirut, President Peter Dorman gave a talk on “American Education in a Turbulent Middle East.” With so much instability in the region, our role as educators feels more important than ever. Calling the liberal arts education model the “one unacknowledged American intervention in the Middle East that can be deemed a shining success,” President Dorman noted: “The American liberal arts educational model is still regarded as the gold standard in the Arab world, and may well be the tool that will help the region fight radicalism, promote pluralism, and produce enlightened and skilled individuals who will help develop the region.” Today’s official ceremony was live-tweeted, and reached over 30,000 Twitter accounts. To read more about today’s talk, please click here.

If you venture to Bali, you don’t want to miss the rock-cut shrines of the Hindu temple complex Gunung Kawi–a sacred meditative space used by Hindus and Buddhists alike…

A random encounter between artist Ania Dabrowska and Diab Alkarssifi, a homeless Lebanese man in London, led to the discovery of a rare archive of thousands of photographs documenting life in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Kuwait and Egypt. Dabrowska learned of Alkarssifi’s collection when the two met at Arlington House, a hostel for homeless men, where Dabrowska was an artist-in-residence and Alkarssifi was temporarily living.

Having contracted polio at a young age and unable to play the regular children’s games, Alkarssifi turned to photography to participate in daily life from a distance. He became an obsessive chronicler of the everyday–from Baalbek to Moscow–and worked as a photojournalist for a Lebanese Communist newspaper. His recovered collection is an artistic trove of social, cultural, and political history…

To learn more about how this rare collection was discovered, please click here. To make a donation in support of a book project featuring the work and archive of Diab Alkarssifi, please visit kickstarter.

Contemporary Mali: Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Thursdays at 6:00 pm

September 18th: Timbuktu Past and Present

October 9th: Music, Culture, and Conflict

October 23rd: Defining Mali through Women’s Voices

This three-part series will explore culture and politics in contemporary Mali, and what the future holds for the cultural, architectural, and intellectual treasures of West Africa. To purchase tickets, please click here.

Salif Keita
Friday, September 19, 7:00 p.m.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium

Salif Keita, one of my favorite musicians from Mali, will be performing a rare acoustic set this month at the MET featuring a small ensemble of master Malian musicians performing on traditional instruments.  This concert is part of the Mali Now festival celebrating contemporary Malian music, culture, and politics.

Salif Keita is the Golden Voice of Africa. — The Guardian